Remote control for outboard motors



W L 1956 s, E. SCHRUEDER REMOTE CONTROL FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed Dec. 5, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l gli W L W55 s. E. SCHROEDER 2,743,524

REMOTE OONTROIJ TOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed Dec. 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May L 1956 s. E. scHRoEDER 2,743,624

REMOTE CONTROL FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed DeC. 5, 1951 EEE=E 1\\\\\\\\\ ////////////////^/A QN 2kg/Omn" www 5.

United States Patent O REMOTE CONTROL FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Simon E. Schroeder, Oshkosh, Wis. Application December 5, 1951, Serial No. 260,013

6 Claims. (Cl. 74-472) The present invention relates to a control mechanism for outboard motors and more particularly to a novel means and mechanism for the remote control of the operation of an outboard motor including adjustment of the spark and fuel supply as well as the shifting of the gears to forward, neutral or reverse positions.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a novel remote control unit permitting the operator to easily and most effectively actuate and control the operation of the throttle and gear shifting mechanism from the front of the boat.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a novel means and manner of controlling the throttle as well as the forward, neutral and reverse positions of the motor drive, all from the front of the boat and remote from the motor.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a novel dual control and motor operating attachment for a standard outboard motor whereby the motor may be manually controlled at the front of the boat by attachment with the usual controls with which such outboard motors are equipped for direct operation. Thus the operator has the choice of operating and controlling the throttle of the motor direct from the rear of the boat or from a remote position such as at the front of the boat.

The present invention further comprehends the provision of a novel control unit or assembly for remotely controlling the forward, reverse and neutral position of an outboard motor.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel construction and arrangement of a master control assembly in the form of an attachment that may be quickly and easily applied to an outboard motor boat whereby to remotely control the operation of the motor.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, eciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation,. and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompartying drawings, and while there is shown therein a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change, and compreliends other details, arrangements of parts, features and constructions without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings: Y p

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an outboard motor boat containing the novel remote control unit for operation of the motor.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the control gear housing with portions broken away to disclose the internal gear assembly.

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical cross section through the control gear housing taken in a plane represented by the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

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Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the rear connecting block.

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical cross section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a section of the control rod or shaft and showing the manner of mounting this rod for rotation in the boat.

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of the outboard motor and showing associated control assembly and the means and manner in which this remote control mechanism is connected thereto.

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation showing the manner of connecting the gear shift and throttle control mechanisrn to the motor at the rear of the boat from the actuating means at the front of the boat.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of the sector gear mounted on the stator plate and adapted to be rotated either at the rear of the boat by a hand lever or by the novel remote control assembly from the front of the boat for controlling the throttle.

Fig. l() is a cross sectional view taken on the line 1li- 10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. l1 is a perspective view of the disconnected sector gear and its associated gearing and control shaft for controlling the throttle, as well as the worm and worm gear segment and the control shaft for controlling the gear shift control.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings, the present novel dual control assembly is adapted to control the speed of operation as well as the direction of travel of an outboard motor 10 from the front seat 11 `of an outboard motor boat 12 through the operation of a novel remote control actuating unit 13. The actuating control unit for the control assembly includes a gear housing 14 containing a bevel gear 15 for controlling the remote shifting of the motor drive to forward, reverse or neutral positions by a control handle 16 rigidly connected to the gear by having an end of the handle inserted into a bore in the exposed or outer face of the gear and connected thereto by a pin or key to cause rotation of the gear when the knob or outer end of the handle is rotated. This gear is pinned or keyed to a stub shaft 17 journalled in a bearing 18 formed or secured to the wall 19 at the rear of the housing. Rotation of the knob and handle to the limit of its movement to theleft or counter-clockwise as viewed in Figs. l and 2, causes the boat to be driven forwardly and moving the knob to the limit of its movement to the right or clockwise causes the boat to be driven in reverse. When the handle is moved to an intermediate or vertical position the drive is in neutral.

Rotation of the Ishift control bevel bear 15 rotates a shift control pinion 2t) in meshing engagement with the gear and pinned or keyed to one` end of a shift control shaft 21 projecting longitudinally of the housing and journailed in an intermediate wall 22 and end wall 23 of the control gear housing 14 with the other end 24 of the shaft received in and connected to one end of a coupling 25. The other end of this coupling is adapted to receive an end 26 of an aligned gear shift control rod 27 with the ends 24 and 26 secured in the coupling by set screws 28 adapted to bear and lock against a flattened portion on these ends.

A bevel gear 29 for controlling operation of the throttle is somewhat larger in diameter than the shift control gear. This gear 29 is pinned or keyed to a stub shaft 31 journalled in a bearing 32 formed in the rear wall 33 of the housing 14. The Walls 19 and 33 of the housing are adapted to be affixed to a side or other support 34 of the boat.

A bevel gear or pinion 35 for actuating the throttle control is in meshing engagement with the bevel gear 29 and pinned or keyed to a throttle control shaft 36 intermediate its length. One end of this shaft 36 is jonrnalled in a transverse bore 37 in the bearing member 3.2 and the .other end is received in one end of a coupling 38 similar to the coupling or sleeve 25. This latter end and an adjoining end of an aligned throttle control rod 39 are each secured or locked in the coupling by a set screw 28db3e51ring against a flattened side of the shaft 36 and ro From the couplings and 38 the gear shift control rod 27 and the throttle control rod 39 extend rearwardly along the interior of the boat (see Fig. l) with the rear end of each received and journalled in a connecting block 41 affixed by screws or other attaching means to the side of the boat. Intermediate the couplings 25 and 38 and the connecting block 41, these rods are each journalled for rotation in a rubber grommet 42 in the eye of a mounting screw or the like 43 (see Figs. l and 6).

The end of the gear shift control rod 27 (see Fig. 5) is provided with a tongue 44 for detachable connection to a slotted end 45 of a stub or coupling block shaft journalled in a threaded connector or plug 46. This connector or plug is connected to one end of a flexible tube or conduit 47 housing a Bowden wire or exible cable 48 connected to the stud shaft for transmitting rotationof the control rod 27. A similar connection is made from the throttle control rod 39 for transmitting its rotation to a Bowden wire or flexible cable in a flexible tube or conduitvall similar to that connected to the shift control rod 27 and similar reference characters have been applied thereto.

A threaded connector or plug 49 (see Fig. 7) similar to the connector plugs 46 is connected to the opposite or rear end of each flexible tube or conduit 47 and houses the Bowden wire or flexible cable 48, and these threaded connectors or plugs are detachably mounted in a threaded opening in the base 51 of a control gear bracket 52. The rear end of each Bowden wire or flexible cable 48 is attached to a couplingvmember 53 having a projecting tongue 54 adapted to be received in the slotted end 55 of a gear control shaft 56 and in the similarly slotted end of a parallel extending throttle control shaft 57, both journalled for free rotation in the base 51 of the bracket 52.

l To the opposite or rear end of the gear control shaft 56 is pinned or keyed a worm 58 having meshing engagement with a worm gear segment S9 having its hub 60 pinned or connected by a set screw 66a (Figs. 7 and 1l) to a stub shaft or stud 61 upon which is also secured, pinned or keyed the end 64 of the conventional control arm or lever 62 for pivotal movement on the motor 10. With both the end 64 of the control arm or lever 62 and the gear segment 59 connected to the stub shaft or stud 59, movement of the gear segment is transmitted to the end 64 of the conventional pivotally mounted control arm or lever 62. This control arm or lever 62 with which the motor is supplied, is shown provided. at its other end with the usual handle extension and knob 63 for local, manual operation at the rear of the boat. With the gearing in meshing engagement and mounted in the manner disclosed, rotation of the handle 16 in turn rotates the gear control shaft 56 and its worm 58, which in turn rotates the gear segment 59 to raise and lower the end 64 of the pivotally mounted control arm or lever 62 and thereby control shifting of the gears. So long as the worm 58 and gear segment 59 are engaged for remote operation of the end 64 of the control arm or lever 62 from the handle 16, the handle extension and knob 63 cannot be locally operated from the rear of the boat rto actuate the control arm or lever 62 in the conventional manner due to the self-locking action of the worm 58 andgear segment 59. However, removing or disconnecting the pin or set screw 60a by which the hub 66 of the gear segment 59 is axed to the stub shaft or stud 61,

and whereby the stub shaft or stud 61 would then be free to rotate in the sub 60 of the gear segment 59 while the teeth of the worm 58 and gear segment 59 remain in mesh, permits the handle extension and knob 63 to be operated locally or adjacent the motor to actuate the control arm or lever 62 for shifting the gears.

The stub shaft or stud 61 is suitably journalled in bearings whereby the end 64 of the control arm or lever 62 is raised and lowered and it in turn moves a connecting rod 65 secured at its upper end to the end 64 of the control arm or lever. The other end of this connecting rod is connected through a crank assembly 66 to raise and lower a connecting rod 67 which at its lower end 68 is bifurcated or contoured so as to encompass the propeller shaft 69 for driving the propeller 71.

Loosely mounted on the propeller shaft is a pair of spaced, opposed gears 72 and 73 in continuous meshing engagement with a bevel gear 74 on the vertical drive shaft 7S from the motor. Thus as long as the motor is operating the gear '74 is driven and rotates the meshing bevel gears 72 and 73, but as these gears are free to rotate on the driven shaft 69, the latter is not rotated until one or the other of the gears 72 or 73 is clutched to the shaft. This clutching is accomplished by a clutch member 76 splined to and adapted to rotate the driven shaft 69 when the clutch is moved to right or left from the neutral position shown in Fig. 8. Each bevel gear 72 and 73 is provided with a clutch face adapted to be engaged by a complementary clutch face on the opposite ends of the clutch member 76 having clutch faces at its opposite ends adapted to engage either gear 72 or 73 when the clutch is moved to the right or left by a bellcrank 77 pivotally mounted at 78 and having one end connected at 79 to an annular groove in the clutch and the other end connected at 80 to the lower end 68 of the connecting rod.

The control arm or lever 62 and the associated parts for shifting the clutch member '76 are conventional, but the worm gear segment 59, worm 58 and associated parts for the remote control of the gear shift mechanism, and whereby the shifting of these gears is accomplished by remote control, are comprehended by the present invention.

The present invention further comprehends controlling the :throttle from the front or a remote position, and at the same time permitting manual operation of this throttle control from the rear through movement of the handle 81 (Figs. 7, 8 and 9). This handle is connected to the `armature plate y82 whereby movement of the handle '81 and armature `plate 82 -adjusts the spark and synchronously through the use of a cam or other mechanism, ladjusts the passage of gas or fuel from the carburetor to the motor. Thus the `operation of the motor and its speed of operation are remotely controlled by automatically and simultaneously controlling the spark and gas mixture from the position of stop to maximum speed.

In the disclosed embodiment, the armature plate 82 which remains stationary except when rotated through a limited arc by movement of the handle 81, forms the ibase of an enclosing housing with the magneto (Figs.7 and 8) being mounted upon or forming part of a cupshaped housing 83 which forms with the armature plate a complete enclosure for the ignition system. Such a construction is shown detail in my Patent No. 2,508,803, of May 23, 1950.

To remotely control xthe rotation of the @armature plate 82, the present invention comprehends providing the periphery of this plate with a sector gear '84 affixed thereto by a pin 85 at one end embedded in the plate and a depending yflange '86 connected by a set screw l87 to the arm 8S of the handle 81. This arm -is rigidly connected to the plate as shown in Fig. 9. A spur gear 89 pinned to the upper end of a vertical shaft 91 is in meshing engagement with the teeth of the sector gear 84 and is adapted to rotate the latter upon rotation of the vertical shaft 91. This vertical shaft is driven by means of intermeshing bevel gears or pinions 92 and 93,v the gear or pinion 92 being pinned to the lower end of the vertical shaft 91 and the gear or pinion 93 being pinned or keyed to the end of the horizontal shaft 57 whereby rotation of the shaft 57 by rotation of the handle 16a connected to the bevel gear 29 `in the gear housing 14 remotely controls the throttle.

Likewise, rotation of `the handle 16 and the bevel gear `15 in the housing 14 remotely controls the operation of the gear shift through the Shaft 56, worm 58, worm gear segment 59 and associated mechanism.

As will be apparent in Fig. 7, the bracket 52 provides a rigid support and bearing for the gears, shafts and connections between the handles or levers 16 and 16a for operating the remote control assembly and the conventional control handles or levers with which the motor is equipped for manually operating the throttle and gear shift from a position at the rear of the boat.

The present novel attachment may be readily and easily mounted upon the motor and boat, and the motor may be quickly removed when the occasion arises. As shown in Fig. 7, the connectors 49 are readily removed to disconnect the remote control actuating means when desired.

To rigidly connect the motor to the boat when operating in reverse, a latch 94 (Fig. S) is provided for securely locking the motor to the usual clamping means 95 employed `in mounting an outboard motor at .the rear of the boat.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. In combination with an outboard motor having means on the motor at the rear of the boat for controlling the throttle and other means on the motor at the rear of the boat including a handle extension for local operation for controlling the shifting of vthe gears to forward, reverse or neutral position, remote control mechanism actuated by the operator from a position remote from the rear of the fboat and motor for operating the throttle control means and `the gear shift control means, including a housing mounted on the interior of the boat at a position remote from the motor and a pair of control members on said housing each having a connection to .its control means on the motor for controlling the throttle iand the shifting of the gears from said remote position, said connection for controlling the shifting of the gears from the remote position including means for disconnecting said connection from the means on the motor for shifting the gears for local operation of the handle extension.

2. In combination with an outboard motor provided with a control lever mounted on the motor for controlling the throttle of the motor and a control lever also mounted on the motor having -a handle extension for shifting the gears to forward, reverse or neutral position from .the rear of the boat, control mechanism adapted to be actuated by the operator from =a position remote from ythe motor and the rear of the boat for actuating the control levers, said mechanism comprising a housing mounted on the interior and at one side of the boat, -a handle on said housing for actuating the throttle control lever and a second handle on said housing for actuating the gear shifting lever, a control bracket attached to the motor, gearing carried by said `bracket and connected with said throttle control lever `and said gear shifting control lever and including a disconnectable connection between said gearing and said gear shifting control lever, and means for connecting the handles on said housing to the gearing and control levers for controlling the speed of the boat and the shifting of the gears, said handle extension on said control lever being ineffective for shifting the gears from the rear of the boat when said gearing is connected for remote operation of the gear shifting lever.

3, in combination with an outboard motor having a lever for controlling the throttle and a lever having a handle extension for controlling the shifting of the gears to forward, reverse or neutral position, both of said levers being carried by the motor and operable locally from adjacent the motor,` remote control mechanism associated with each control lever for actuating these levers from a position adjacent the front of the boat and remote from the motor, and including a housing mounted at one side of the boat and having a manually operable handle and a connection therefrom Sto the throttle lever for controlling the speed of the boat and a second manually operable handle and a disconnectable connection `therefrom to the gear shift lever for controlling the shifting of the gears from a remote station, said connection to the gear shift lever when connected for remote operation rendering said handle extension ineffective to shift the gears locally from adjacent the motor.

4. In combination with an outboard motor having means on the motor at the rear of the boat for controlling the throttle and other means on the motor including a handle extension for local, manual operation at the rear of the boat for controlling the shifting of the gears to forward, reverse or neutral position, a dual control assembly operable from adjacent the front seat of an outboard motor boat and readily attached to and detached from the means for controlling the throttle and the means for controlling the shifting of the gears, said control assembly including a bracket attached to the motor, a master control unit mounted in the boat adjacent the front seat and mechanism carried by the bracket for connecting the master control unit to the throttle and gear shift means of the motor whereby the operation of the throttle and gear shift is remotely controlled by the control unit and including a disconnectable connection between said mechanism and the means on the motor for controlling shifting of the gears, said handle extension being operable for local, manual operation at the rear of the boat when the master control unit is disconnected from the means for shifting of the gears.

5. In combination with an outboard motor having a lever for controlling the throttle and a lever for controlling the shifting of the gears to forward, reverse or neutral position with said lever for controlling the shifting of the gears having a handle extension for local, manual operation at the rear of the boat, both of said levers being carried by the motor, remote control mechanism associated with each control lever for actuating these levers from a position adjacent the front of the boat and remote from the motor and including a bracket attached to the motor, a shaft in said bracket, a worm on one end of said shaft, a gear segment and a disconnectable connection between said gear segment and the lever for controlling the shifting of the gears to forward, reverse or neutral position, a second shaft in said bracket, gears connecting said second shaft to the lever for controlling the throttle, a housing mounted in the boat remote from the motor and having a manually operable handle and a connection therefrom to the second shaft and the throttle lever for controlling the speed of the boat and a second manually operable handle and a connection therefrom to the first shaft and the gear shift lever for controlling the shifting of the gears from a position adjacent the front of the boat, said handle extension being operable for local, manual operation at the rear of the boat when the gear segment of the remote control mechanism is disconnected from said lever for shifting of the gears.

6. In combination with an outboard motor having means on the motor at the rear of the boat for controlling the throttle and other means on the motor including a handle extension for local operation at the rear of the boat for controlling the shifting of the gears to forward, reverse or neutral position, a dual control assembly operable from adjacent the front seat of an outboard motor boat and connected to the means for controlling the throttle and the means for controlling the shifting of the gears, said control assembly including a bracket attached to the motor, a pair of shafts mounted in said bracket, means for connecting one of said shafts to said throttle control means, means for connecting the other of said shafts tothe means for controlling the shifting of the gears including a disconnectable connection to said means on the motor forA controlling the shifting of` the gears, a master control unit mounted in the boat adjacent the front seat and connections from the master control unit to said shafts whereby the operation of the throttle and gear shift is remotely controlled by the control unit, said handle extension being operable for local, manual operation at the rear of the boat when the connection to the means on the motor for shifting of the gears is disconnected.

References Cited inthe le of this patent "UNITED STATES yivTENTS.

Curtis Feb. 2o, 1917i,

Bivert Apr.`2, 19.18 Cragg Mar. 4, 19411 Fike et al. Oct. 9, 1945 Schroeder May 23,v 1950 Black .Iuly ,11, 1950 Kiekhaefer Apr. 21,- 1953 Morse Feb. 22, 1955 

